Printing mechanism



Feb. 23 1926.

F. P. COMMANDER PRINTI NG MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet1 mLl/h v Zf'LZ /WMW Y Feb? 23 1926. 1,574,367

P. P. COMMANDER PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 21,4 16 45/16 m x 4 j 30 1739 3d d w I I! H Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PAT PAUL .P., COMMANDER, OF DO'ERUN, GEORGIA.

PRINTING MECHANISM,

Application filedlseptemb'er 15, 1924.. Serial no. 737, 40.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL P. COMMANDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Doerun, in the county of Colqui-tt and State of Georgia,have invent-ed a new and useful Printing Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a printingmechanism adapted to be used primarily for printing on boxesof fruit,the number of pieces of fruit in the box, the packers number, or anyother data which it may be desired to impress on the box. The inventionaims to provide a printing member so constructed that the type-carryingportion thereof may be swung upwardly against the box, to PI'OVlClGnovel means for operatmg the printing member, to provide novel .meansfor inking the type on the printing member, and, generally, to improveand to enhance the utility 'of devices of that sortto which theinvention appertains.

Although a preferred form has been shown in the drawings, it will beunderstood that a mechanic, working within the scope of what is claimed,may make changes and alterations, withoutdeparting from the spirit ofthe invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in top plan, a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention, a portion of the bench orsupport being broken away; Figure 2 is a side elevation; Figure 3 is aperspective disclosingone of the type bars and attendant parts; Figure4: is a section on the line 1-4 of Figure 2, parts being broken away;Figure 5 is a sectional elevation wherein thetype bar has been broughtup against the box which is to be imprinted; and Figure 6 is a sectionon the line 6-6 of Figure 1. i

The printing mechanism forming the subject matter of this applicationcontemplates the provision of a support 1, which may bea packing benchof the sort disclosed in my co-pending application Serial Number 7 37839, filed on the 15th day of September, 1924. The support or packingbench is not described in detail, because I know that one cannot claimthe details of a packing bench, and thedetails of a printing mechanismin the same application. The support 1 embodies legs 3 merging intohorizontal memhere 4 carrying any suitable means 5 for supporting a box2 of the kind in which of the bench frame. plungers 10 are adapted toabut against the the cross piece 7 and the supports 4, the

brace being omitted in Figure 1, and else where, to the end that theprinting mechanism may notbe obscured by mere bench details. There areguides .9. cross piece 7, the the form of eyes.

Passing from bench construction to printing mechanism, it will be notedthat operating members 10, in the form of plungers, are loosely mountedfor vertical reciprocationin the guides 9, the plunge-rs being providedat their lower extremities with pedals 11 which extend beneath thebench, at each side thereof, so that an operator on eitherside of thebench may actuate the printing means. The upper ends of the plungers 10are inwardly offset, as shown at 12, and terminate in eyes 14 locatedbetween nuts 15 and 16 on a pivot rod 17 having abutments 18 locatedinwardly of the nuts 16.

The inner ends of levers 19 are mounted pivotally on the rod 17, betweenthe abutguides preferably being in ments 18 and the nuts 16, the leversbeing fulcrumed intermediate their ends on a rod 20 connected at itsends by securingelements 21 with the legs 8. Tubular spacers 22 aremounted on the fulcrum rod 20 between the inner edges of the legs 3 andthe. levers 19, and, cooperating with the abutments 18 on the pivot rod17, hold the levers19 for parallel swinging movement in vertical planes.The outerv ends of the levers 19 are upwardly curved, as shown at '23,and are connected by securing members 25 to a carrier block 24. Theparts 1923-24: may be alluded to generally and briefly as a U- shapedlever fulcrumed intermediate its. ends on the support 1. In order toswing'the ends 23 of the levers 19 downwardly from the printing positionof Figure 5 to the inking position at Figure 2, a retractile spring26 isconnected at its ends to the carried block 24:and to the lower crosspiece 7 The angles 46 of the sleeves or spacers 22 to stop the levels 19in the inking position of Figures 2 and 6.

The carrier block 2% is provided with any extending between on the 7lower desired number of openings 27, spaced apart it longitudinally ofthe block and communicating with enlarged seats 28'formed in the uppersurface of the block. The openings 27 of the carrier block 24: receiveslidably,

the stems 29 of the type bars 30 carrying brought up against the end ofthe box 2,

as shown in Figure 5, but if enough pressure is exerted on the pedals11, the shoulders 53 on the stems of the type bars may come into contactwith the carrier block at at the bases of the seats 28, thus forcing thetype 31 against the end of the box 2 positively. The enlargements 32 inthe stems of the type bars not only form the shoulders 53, but, as well,conform closely but somewhat loosely tothe springs 33, so that thesprings will not tend to flex too much sidewise, when they are undercompression. The upward movement of the type bars 30, responsive to thesprings 33, is limited by step pins 3%, which, being inserted throughthe lower ends of the stems 29, engage the lower surface of the carrierblock 24. In order to prevent the stems 29 of type bars 30 from rotatingin the carrier block 24:, and in order to position the type 31 properlywith respect to the end. of the box 2, the type bars slide in contactwith an upstanding guide plate 35 secured at 36 to the carrier block24:.

Referring to the inking mechanism, it is :to be observed that asubstantially hori- Zontal'U-shaped frame 37 is held on the legs 3 ofthe bench frame by the-securing elements 21 which engage the ends of thefulcrum rod 20. Although any suitable means may be provided for inkingthe type 31, it is contemplated that recourse may be had to a knownconstruction, including a pad 38 carried by the body 39 of a box, a lid10 being hinged at 4.1 to the body,the pad resting on the type 31, andthe lid L0 extending downwardly within the rear portion of the frame 37securing devices 42, connectingthe lid to the frame 37. One of thesecuring devices 42 retains an upstanding spring tongue 13, overhangingthe body 39 of the pad carrier, and adapted to be put under tension bycontact with the part 39, when the pad 38 is swung upwardly from theposition of Figure 6 to the position of Figure 5, the element 43 beingin substance a return spring for carrying the pad back into the positionof Figure 6 on the type '31, or, at least, being a means whereby the pad38 is prevented from being swung over too far to the-right in Figure 5.The means for moving the pad 38 from the type-engaging position ofFigure 6 to the position of Figure 5 embodies a curved arm or opener,held on the carrierblock 24 by one of the elements 25 which attach thecarrier block to the levers 19. The arm or opener 4a is adapted to workbeneath an outstanding lip 45 on the body 39 of the pad carrier, andthis lip may be made conveniently by simply bending outwardly, one ofthe side walls of the box body 39 which holds the pad 38.

Assuming that the box 2 is in the position delineated in Figure 5, theoperator presses downwardly on one of the pedals 11, the plungers 10moving downwardlyin the eyes 9, the levers 19 being tilted on theirfulcrum 20. Thecurved opener 14, moving with the levers 19, ridesbeneath the lip 15 on the pad carrier 39 and swings the pad 38 out ofthe path of the type 31, the part 39 engaging the spring tongue 43 andputting the same under tension. The levers 19 carry the block into theposition of Figure 5, and the box 2 is printed upon at one or moreplaces, de-- pending upon the number of type bars 30 that are used. 7When pressure on the pedal 11 is released, the spring 26 swings thelevers 19 and carries the type bars 30 and the carrier block 29 awayfrom the box 2, the opener a4, retiring from beneath the lip as of thepad body 39, the pad assuming the position of Figure 6, under the actionof the spring tongue 4E3.

Not only may the number of articles in the box 2 be printed thereon,but, also, the box may be marked with the packers number and otherindicia tending to prevent fraud, these details relating more to packinghouse management than to the operation of a printing device of anyspecified form.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a support, atype lever fulcrumed on the support, type on the type lever, a swingingpad cooperating with the type, and an opener coacting with the pad toswing the pad away from the type when the lever is swung in onedirection, the opener being carried by the lever, the opener havingarcuate movement with respect to the fulcrum of the lever.

2. In a device of the class described,.a support, a type lever fulcrumedon the support, type on the type lever, a swinging pad cooperating withthe type, an opener coactingwith the pad to swing the pad away from thetype when the lever is swung in one direction, the opener being carriedby 1 3. In a device of the class described, a support, a substantiallyhorizontal frame projecting from the support, an inking means carried bythe outer end of the frame, a lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends onthe support, the outer end of the lever, being disposed Within theframe, type carried by the outer end of the lever, and cooperating withthe inking means, a depending plunger, means for mounting the plungerfor right-line sliding movement on the support, and means for pivotallyconnecting the upper end of the plunger with the inner end of the lever.

4:. In a device of the class described, a support, a fulcrum membercarried by the support, a lever mounted to swing on the fulcrum member,type carried by the lever, a plunger mounted for reciprocation on thesupport and having an angle, the plunger being pivotally connected Withthe inner end of the lev-er, the angle in the plunger per mitting theplunger to be located close to a part of the support, and permitting theplunger to be connected to the lever at a considerable distance from thefulcrum member, the angle in the plunger cooperating With the fulcrummember to limit the movement of the type-carrying end of the levertovvard an inoperative position. we

5. In a device of the class described, a support, a lever fulcrumed onthe support for swinging movement from a downwardly inclined position toan upstanding inclined position, means for stopping the movement of thelever in said downwardly inclined position, marking means carried by theouter end of the lever, and means for operating the lever, the outer endof the lever being so inclined With respect to the body portion of thelever that the marking means Will print on the vertical end of a boxcarried by the support, When the lever is in its upstanding inclinedposition, said inclination of the outer end of the lever With-respect tothe body portion of the lever serving to position the marking means in asubstantially horizontal plane, for inking,

when the lever is in said downwardly inclined position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXedmy signature.

PAUL P. COMMANDER;

